10 Best Water Parks and Theme Parks in Dubai
Where to Find Family-Friendly Fun in Dubai?
Dubai does everything on a grand scale, and theme parks in Dubai are up there with the biggest and best in the world. Whether you’re looking for towering roller coasters or the world’s biggest water park, Dubai ticks all the boxes in fine style.
This ultra-modern metropolis rises high on the sun-baked Persian Gulf coastline (you literally can’t miss Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building), and the year-round hot sunny weather means that water parks here are a top activity for family-friendly adventures. With rides and activities suitable for all ages, Dubai’s theme parks are among the city’s big-ticket attractions and, like everything else in the city, are designed to dazzle the senses.
1. Wild Wadi Water Park
High adrenaline thrills on the water
Good for: Families, Photo, Food
Strap yourself in for a wild ride at Wild Wadi Water Park. From the enormous breakers at the wave pool to the sheer drops of the plunge, everything here is built to get the pulse racing and the adrenaline flowing.
Visitors with kids in tow might baulk at the name of an attraction called ‘Tantrum Alley’, but in fact it’s a family-friendly storm-simulating slide. For a more tranquil experience, the aptly named ‘Lazy River’ is a gentle way to float from one ride to the next at this vast park. Prepare to spend a whole day here and make space in your budget to refuel on the energy-boosting bites on offer at the park’s many restaurants and food trucks.
Location: Jumeirah St - opp. Burj Al Arab - Umm Suqeim - Umm Suqeim 3 - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Open: Hours vary by season
Phone: +971 (0)43 484 444
Wild Wadi Water Park
2. Global Village
Where the world comes together
Good for: Shoppers, Food, Photo
Global Village showcases 90 cultures at themed pavilions with beautiful handicrafts and delicious food representative of each country, and cultural performances each night. In the pavilions, you can travel around the world and learn about different ways of life as you make your way through the exhibits.
You can fuel up on delicious street food, from traditional Asian fare to fresh, juicy fruits, spicy snacks and the most delectable desserts. Book a guided tour, to get a VIP entrance and a private buggy for a 2.5-hour tour through some of the most iconic spots in Global Village. Be sure to book your tours and tickets online to avoid queuing.
Location: 38C5+F57 - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Open: Mid-October–mid-May: Sunday–Wednesday from 5 pm to 1 am, Thursday–Saturday from 5 pm to 2 am
Phone: +971 (0)43 624 114
Global Village
3. Motiongate Dubai
Magical attraction for movie lovers
Good for: Families, Photo, Couples
Film-loving families in Dubai can put themselves in the director’s chair with a visit to Motiongate Dubai. The Hollywood-themed attraction is set within the impressive Dubai Parks and Resorts complex, and offers all-ages rides and entertainment themed around everything from Shrek to the John Wick franchise.
Movie buffs will be in their element as they make their way through zones themed around major film studios like DreamWorks and Columbia Pictures, where immersive rollercoasters whizz through the worlds of Shrek, Ghostbusters and other popular movies. Younger visitors can enjoy a stroll around the Smurfs Village, while the Lionsgate zone attracts older visitors with high speed 4D coasters and flight simulators.
Location: Dubai Parks and Resorts, Sheikh Zayed Rd - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Open: Sunday–Thursday from 11 am to 8 pm, Friday–Saturday from 11 am to 9 pm
Phone: +971 (0)48 200 000
Motiongate Dubai
4. Legoland Dubai
LEGO-themed rides and attractions
Good for: Families, Photo
Younger children and their LEGO-loving families can build memories to last a lifetime at Legoland Dubai. Aimed at kids aged 2 to 12, the fun-yet-educational theme park features toddler thrills in the form of LEGO rides (a more gentle experience than the heart-racing descents of many Dubai roller coasters), and the Miniland
The LEGO-themed fun doesn’t stop there. Visitors can enjoy aquatic adventures at the nearby Legoland Water Park, and even stay at the immersive Legoland Hotel. All are located within a few steps of each other, inside the vast Dubai Parks and Resorts complex.
Location: Dubai Parks and Resorts, Sheikh Zayed Rd - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Open: Monday–Thursday from 10 am to 6 pm, Friday–Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm
Phone: +971 (0)48 203 123
Legoland Dubai
5. Play DXB at The Dubai Mall
The world’s largest indoor virtual reality attraction
Good for: Families, Nightlife, Unusual
Located inside the fabulously flamboyant Dubai Mall, PlayDXB offers virtual reality adventures in a city that often feels like an other-worldly experience in itself. As the world’s largest virtual reality theme park, it’s an immersive adventure playground where visitors can ride VR roller coasters, team up for multiplayer games, and enjoy space age simulator rides.
While many of the attractions are aimed at older kids and teens, there’s plenty to keep younger visitors occupied too, thanks to gentle carousel rides, trampolines and the chance to tuck into easy eats like burgers and milkshakes. And for parents who fear they are less tech-savvy than their kids, classic arcade games offer a chance to show the younger generation how it’s done.
Location: Dubai Hills Mall 1st Floor - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Open: Daily from 10 am to 10 pm
Phone: +971 (0)44 038 888
Play DXB at The Dubai Mall
6. IMG World of Adventures
One of the world’s largest indoor theme parks
Good for: Families, Adventure, Photo
Once ranked as the world’s largest indoor theme park, IMG Worlds of Adventure is still the largest in Dubai. That’s no mean feat in a city that does everything on a mammoth scale. Centrally located on Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road, the mega-park spans some 140,000 sq metres and is divided into adventure-filled zones.
Board the IMG Express train at the IMG Boulevard welcome zone, then embark on prehistoric adventures at the Lost Valley, enjoy the animated adventures of Ben 10 and Gumball in the Cartoon Network zone and soar through superhero-filled cities in the Marvel zone. From the gigantic Velociraptor roller coaster to the staggering array of places to eat, it’s an adventure for all ages.
Location: City of Arabia - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Open: Sunday–Thursday from noon to 10 pm, Friday–Saturday from noon to 11 pm
Phone: +971 (0)44 038 888
IMG World of Adventures
7. AquaFun Water Park
The world’s largest inflatable water park
Good for: , Families, Photo
There’s supersized fun to be had at AquaFun Water Park. In a city that prides itself on being home to everything from the world’s tallest building to the world’s largest virtual reality theme park, AquaFun takes its place on the record-breaking podium as the largest inflatable water park on the planet.
The warm and sunny weather makes this an all-year attraction, and visitors can challenge themselves to a water-based obstacle course in a vast floating park that’s also home to some of the highest and longest water slides in the world. The energetic attraction is easy to spot on Jumeirah Beach and its pink and blue inflatables spell out ‘I love Dubai’ when seen from above.
Location: JBR Beach - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Open: Daily from 9 am to 5.30 pm
Phone: +971 (0)54 522 6663
AquaFun Water Park
8. Splash N Party
Toddler-friendly water park
Good for: Families, Photo
Dubai’s water parks can often be better suited to older kids and teens, but Splash ‘N’ Party offers safe adventures for little ones aged one and up. Toddler-friendly adventures at this family-focused water park include gentle water slides, shallow pools and splash pads, while larger slides and zip lines keep older children occupied.
There’s plenty of child-friendly entertainment, with magicians and jugglers strolling the park as well as live music and dancing shows on stage. It’s a popular spot for birthday parties, just be sure to book ahead if you want to mark a special occasion in style.
Location: Kite Beach, Jumeirah Beach, Dubai 35 A St Between BIXI & KITE SURF SCHOOL Dubai - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Open: Sunday–Thursday from 2 pm to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 10 pm
Splash N Party
9. Aventura Park
Zipline adventures in the forest
Good for: Families, Adventure, Food
Summon up your head for heights and embark on treetop adventures at Aventura Park. As Dubai’s largest zipline park, the outdoor adventure playground covers 35,000 sq metres of Ghaf forest in Mushrif Park, with obstacle course circuits colour coded according to age, height and ability.
Securely fastened into safety harnesses, visitors can soar along the famous ziplines, ascend climbing walls, teeter over tight ropes and brave wobbly bridges. The high-altitude courses take up to three hours to complete. When you feel like refuelling, stop by the pleasant on-site restaurant or one of the picnic areas.
Location: Floor 1, Dubai Hills Mall, Al Khail Rd - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Open: Sunday–Thursday from 10 am to 11 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to midnight
Phone: +971 (0)50 946 6904
Aventura Park
10. Atlantis Aquaventure at Atlantis, The Palm
Family-friendly fun and relaxation
Good for: Families, Photo, Adventure
If you visit just one aquatic attraction in Dubai, make it Atlantis Aquaventure. It’s the world’s biggest waterpark and it sits within the photo-worthy confines of the jaw-dropping Atlantis, The Palm resort.
With more than 105 rides, attractions and experiences to choose from, Aquaventure offers water-based fun for all ages, although only the brave will want to tackle daredevil sheer drops of rides like Poseidon’s Revenge and Leap of Faith. Recharge the batteries by drifting between attractions along the Lazy River and come prepared to snap photos of everything from the death-defying plunges to the ostentatious design of the resort itself.
Location: Atlantis The Palm - Crescent Rd - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Open: Daily from 9 am to 5.30 pm
Phone: +971 (0)44 260 000
Atlantis Aquaventure at Atlantis, The Palm
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